Detailing Amen Thompson's Excellent Rookie Rebounding Season

Amen Thompson finished in the 89th percentile in offensive rebounding rate with a 10.7%, which ranked first among all guards and wings.

Apr 14, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Towards the end of the 2023-24 NBA season, Amen Thompson was a part of the short list of rookies who provided a positive impact on their team. He was third among rookies in estimated-plus minus (EPM) behind only Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren and one of six to be in the 70th percentile or higher in EPM alongside Wembanyama, Holmgren, Duop Reath, Ausar Thompson, and Brandin Podziemski. Wembanyama and Holmgren were both above the 90th percentile and Amen Thompson was the only other rookie above the 80th percentile.

Some might've been shocked by Thompson's instant high-level production for a rookie considering his raw handling and shooting abilities, two skills vital to someone who was considered a lead guard prospect. But his outlier feel and skillset alongside his generational tools and athleticism always gave him numerous pathways to impacting winning and a chance to impact sooner than anticipated. That's exactly what ended up happening during his rookie season.

He excelled in a simplified offensive role as a short roller, where his on-the-move finishing creativity and playmaking abilities shined, and in the dunker's spot, where his athleticism and play-finishing shined. He shot 65.8% at the rim and even had a 16.4% assist rate despite his limited on-ball role. He wreaked tons of havoc defensively with his combination of instincts, tools (length, speed, athleticism, ground coverage), and hand-eye coordination. He finished 94th percentile in steal rate and 72nd percentile in block rate.

He excelled in those areas on both ends of the floor thanks to, once again, his outlier feel and skillset coinciding with tools and athleticism that allowed him to find ways to make an impact. And nothing showcases that intersection of traits finding him ways to win better than his development as an offensive rebounder last season.

Despite beginning the season as an average offensive rebounder, Thompson ended the season as the single best among all guards and wings with a 10.7% offensive rebounding rate (89th percentile). He figured out how to track down boards and position himself in the best place to grab them with his supreme leaping ability (check his finishing percentages) and hand-eye coordination (check his steal and block rates, also).

SOTD via @cleantheglass per @Mathketball1

Amen Thompson experienced dramatic improvement as an offensive rebounder last season.

He began his rookie year below-average, then rose to finish the year as statistically *the best* offensive rebounder among all wings! 🏀💪 pic.twitter.com/jMC7iqzE3R

— GETINTHEGAME101 (@getinthegame101) August 12, 2024

Not many rookies would be able to turn something that was a non-notable skill throughout their playing career into a standout skill at the highest level of basketball. But Thompson's special intersection of feel and tools allowed him to do just that as he was asked to find ways to impact in a scaled-down role. One of those ways was as a rebounder alongside his finishing, passing, and defensive playmaking, all of which played a part in his excellent production for a 20-year-old.

This ability to add skills rapidly enabled by his special intersection of skills and traits gives Thompson a higher floor than initially perceived on top of his already sky-high ceiling with his movement patterns and playmaking as a 6-foot-7, generationally athletic lead ballhandling prospect. The combination of the two makes him one of the most valuable young players in the NBA and who the Houston Rockets should build around moving forward. Giving him more on-ball opportunities next season to both showcase what he can do and develop should be priority No. 1 for them.

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